The present invention relates generally to circuit breakers and, more particularly, to a high amperage circuit breaker having a terminal isolation fastener cap, along with methods of manufacturing and assembly thereof.
High amperage circuit breakers—or “high amp circuit breakers”—are typically used in primary feed, auxiliary, and/or accessory circuits for trucks, buses, RVs and marine applications. All high amp circuit breakers comply with the SAE J1117 standard for ignition protection and have applications in battery charger systems and DC audio systems, with such circuit breakers providing current protection from 50 to 200 amps, for example. High amp circuit breakers are available in auto reset (Type 1) or manual reset (Type 3) and operate such that, if a fault condition is detected, the unit will immediately discontinue electrical flow to protect the circuit, with the circuit breaker then being automatically or manually reset before resuming operation. High amp circuit breakers typically feature surface mount splash and dust proof sealed outer casings ideal for engine compartment or marine type applications, with as many as six circuit breakers often being stacked in a side-by-side arrangement in the outer casting.
High amp circuit breakers 2, 4 of known construction are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the high amp circuit breakers being for use in trucks, buses, RVs and marine applications and being constructed as a flush-mount or panel-mount circuit breaker. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the circuit breakers 2, 4 include a pair of external terminal studs 6, 8 extending from a base 10 to provide an input and output to/from the circuit breaker. A plurality of mounting holes 12 are also formed in the base 10 that are configured to receive fasteners therein that mount the circuit breaker 2, 4 to a panel in the truck, bus, RV or marine craft in which the circuit breaker is employed.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is seen that the input and output terminal studs 6, 8 are located on opposite sides of a central housing 14 of the base 10, so as to provide isolation therebetween. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, it is seen that the input and output terminal studs 6, 8 are located adjacent to one another on a common side of the central housing 14, with it being recognized that this side-by-side arrangement of the input and output terminal studs 6, 8 takes up less surface area on a system level and makes installation of the terminal studs easier, as compared to the terminal stud arrangement in the circuit breaker 2 of FIG. 1.
While the arrangement of the input and output terminal studs 6, 8 in the circuit breaker 4 of FIG. 2 is an improvement over the terminal studs arrangement in the circuit breaker 2 of FIG. 1 for the reasons indicated above, it is recognized that there are still shortcomings associated with the circuit breaker construction illustrated in FIG. 2. As one example, due to the proximity of the input and output terminal studs 6, 8 in the circuit breaker 4 of FIG. 2, a dividing wall 16 is required therebetween in order to provide electrical isolation between the studs; however, existing dividing wall designs are insufficient to prevent shorting between the terminal studs, as the dividing wall 16 does not extend high enough above the terminal studs. As another example, the circuit breaker 4 of FIG. 2 is constructed such that ring terminals (not shown) positioned on the and output terminal studs 6, 8 must be installed at an angle relative to one another rather than parallel to one another, as would be desirable. That is, the circuit breaker 4 of FIG. 2 includes a mounting hole 12 positioned between and directly adjacent to the terminal studs 6, 8, with the mounting hole 12 including a circular flange 18 protruding up from the base 10 and encircling the mounting hole to isolate a fastener placed therein. The protruding of the circular flange 18 up from the base 10 prevents the ring terminals from being oriented parallel to one another, as the circular flange 18 interferes with such an arrangement/alignment and forces the ring terminals to be installed at an angle relative to one another.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a high amp circuit breaker design that offers sufficient electrical isolation between input and output terminal studs. It would further be desirable for such a high amp circuit breaker to allow for attachment and orientation of ring terminals on the terminal studs in an optimal orientation.